U.S. patent application number 13/372688 was filed with the patent office on 2013-07-04 for device and method for protecting eyes.
This patent application is currently assigned to WALSIN LIHWA CORPORATION. The applicant listed for this patent is Chung-I CHIANG, Min-Ching LIN, Hung-Hsiang SHEN. Invention is credited to Chung-I CHIANG, Min-Ching LIN, Hung-Hsiang SHEN.
Application Number | 20130169164 13/372688 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 48694291 |
Filed Date | 2013-07-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130169164 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
SHEN; Hung-Hsiang ; et
al. |
July 4, 2013 |
DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PROTECTING EYES
Abstract
A device and method, which are utilized in an optical apparatus,
for protecting eyes are disclosed. The optical apparatus includes a
scanning-mirror component and a visible light source which is
optically coupled to the scanning-mirror component. The optical
apparatus emits a visible light beam to the scanning-mirror
component by using the visible light source. The scanning-mirror
component then reflects the visible light beam to emit the visible
light beam to a scanning region. The device and the method for
protecting eyes can determine at least one eye region in the
scanning region, and then make the optical apparatus stop emitting
the visible light beam at least within the eye region.
Inventors: |
SHEN; Hung-Hsiang; (Yangmei
City, TW) ; LIN; Min-Ching; (Yangmei City, TW)
; CHIANG; Chung-I; (Yangmei City, TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
SHEN; Hung-Hsiang
LIN; Min-Ching
CHIANG; Chung-I |
Yangmei City
Yangmei City
Yangmei City |
|
TW
TW
TW |
|
|
Assignee: |
WALSIN LIHWA CORPORATION
Yangmei City
TW
|
Family ID: |
48694291 |
Appl. No.: |
13/372688 |
Filed: |
February 14, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
315/151 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G02B 26/0841 20130101;
G02B 27/0093 20130101; G02B 26/085 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
315/151 |
International
Class: |
H05B 37/02 20060101
H05B037/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 4, 2012 |
TW |
101100267 |
Claims
1. A device for protecting eyes for an optical apparatus, wherein
the optical apparatus includes a scanning-mirror component and a
visible light source optically coupled to the scanning-mirror
component, the optical apparatus emits a visible light beam to the
scanning-minor component by using the visible light source, and the
scanning-minor component then reflects the visible light beam to
emit the visible light beam to a scanning region, the device
comprising: an eye identifying module for determining at least one
eye region in the scanning region, wherein the eye identifying
module has an invisible light source optically coupled to the
scanning-mirror component for emitting an invisible light beam to
the scanning-mirror component, and the scanning-mirror component is
used to reflect the invisible light beam so that the invisible
light beam and the visible light beam are simultaneously emitted to
the scanning region; and a controlling module, electrically
connecting to the eye identifying module and the optical apparatus,
wherein the controlling module is used to generate a controlling
signal to the optical apparatus so that the optical apparatus stops
emitting the visible light beam at least within the eye region.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein the visible light source at least
comprises a red visible light beam generator, a green visible light
beam generator and a blue visible light beam generator.
3. The device of claim 1, wherein the invisible light source at
least comprises an infrared light generator or an ultraviolet light
generator.
4. The device of claim 1, wherein the eye identifying module
further comprises at least one invisible light sensor for receiving
reflective invisible light of the invisible light beam on the
scanning region.
5. The device of claim 4, wherein the eye identifying module
further comprises a light-concentrating lens which is disposed at
an incident side of the invisible light sensor.
6. The device of claim 1, wherein the eye identifying module
further comprises a plurality of invisible light sensors for, from
different locations respectively, receiving reflective invisible
light of the invisible light beam on the scanning region.
7. The device of claim 6, wherein the eye identifying module
further comprises a light-concentrating lens which is disposed at a
light incident side of one of the invisible light sensors.
8. The device of claim 1, wherein the eye region at least covers a
forehead to a jaw of a user.
9. A method for protecting eyes for an optical apparatus, wherein
the optical apparatus includes a scanning-mirror component and a
visible light source optically coupled to the scanning-mirror
component, the optical apparatus emits a visible light beam to the
scanning-minor component by using the visible light source, and the
scanning-minor component then reflects the visible light beam to
emit the visible light beam to a scanning region, the method
comprising steps of: emitting an invisible light beam to the
scanning region, wherein the invisible light beam and the visible
light beam are simultaneously emitted to the scanning region;
receiving reflective invisible light of the invisible light beam on
the scanning region; determining at least one eye region in the
scanning region according to the reflective invisible light; and
generating a controlling signal to the optical apparatus so that
the optical apparatus stops emitting the visible light beam at
least within the eye region.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising a step of: generating
another controlling signal to the optical apparatus so that the
optical apparatus continues to emit the visible light beam outside
the eye region.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the optical apparatus stops
emitting the visible light beam until the eye region disappears in
the scanning region.
12. The method of claim 9, further comprising a step of: receiving
the reflective invisible light of the invisible light beam on the
scanning region from different locations.
13. The method of claim 9, further comprising a step of: continuing
to emit the invisible light beam when the invisible light beam
moves into the eye region.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority based on
Taiwan Patent Application No. 101100267 filed on Jan. 4, 2012, and
the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in
their entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a device and a method for
protecting eyes, and more particularly, to a device and a method
for protecting eyes for an optical apparatus.
[0004] 2. Descriptions of the Related Art
[0005] Some optical apparatuses (e.g., optical apparatuses for
measurement or for projection) emit light beams with high luminance
to a specific region. Therefore, if the user's eyes are
accidentally exposed to the area of illumination, the user will
feel uncomfortable or even be hurt if the light beam is a
laser.
[0006] Accordingly, an urgent need exists in the art to provide a
device and a method for protecting eyes for an optical apparatus,
which can protect eyes of a user from being hurt by strong light of
the optical apparatus.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide
a device and a method for protecting eyes, which can make an
optical apparatus stop emitting a visible light beam temporarily
when eyes of a user enter a scanning region (i.e., a specific
region) of the optical apparatus.
[0008] To achieve the aforesaid objective, the present invention
provides a device for protecting eyes for an optical apparatus. The
optical apparatus includes a scanning-mirror component and a
visible light source optically coupled to the scanning-minor
component. The optical apparatus emits a visible light beam to the
scanning-minor component by using the visible light source. The
scanning-mirror component then reflects the visible light beam to
emit the visible light beam to a scanning region. The device for
protecting eyes comprises an eye identifying module and a
controlling module. The eye identifying module is used to determine
at least one eye region in the scanning region and has an invisible
light source. The invisible light source is optically coupled to
the scanning-minor component, and is used to emit an invisible
light beam to the scanning-minor component. The scanning-minor
component is used to reflect the invisible light beam so that the
invisible light beam and the visible light beam are simultaneously
emitted to the scanning region. The controlling module is
electrically connected to the eye identifying module and the
optical apparatus, and is used to generate a controlling signal to
the optical apparatus so that the optical apparatus stops emitting
the visible light beam at least within the eye region.
[0009] To achieve the aforesaid objective, the present invention
further provides a method for protecting eyes for an optical
apparatus. The optical apparatus includes a scanning-mirror
component and a visible light source optically coupled to the
scanning-mirror component. The optical apparatus emits a visible
light beam to the scanning-minor component by using a visible light
source. The scanning-mirror component then reflects the visible
light beam to emit the visible light beam to a scanning region. The
method for protecting eyes comprises steps: emitting an invisible
light beam to the scanning region, wherein the invisible light beam
and the visible light beam are simultaneously emitted to the
scanning region; receiving a reflective invisible light of the
invisible light beam in the scanning region; determining at least
one eye region in the scanning region according to the reflective
invisible light; and generating a controlling signal to the optical
apparatus so that the optical apparatus stops emitting the visible
light beam at least within the eye region.
[0010] The detailed technology and preferred embodiments
implemented for the subject invention are described in the
following paragraphs accompanying the appended drawings for people
skilled in this field to well appreciate the features of the
claimed invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of the first preferred
embodiment of a device for protecting eyes according to the present
invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the first preferred embodiment
of the device for protecting eyes according to the present
invention;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a detailed schematic view of the device for
protecting eyes and an optical apparatus shown in FIG. 2;
[0014] FIG. 4 is another schematic view of the first preferred
embodiment of the device for protecting eyes according to the
present invention;
[0015] FIG. 5 is a further schematic view of the first preferred
embodiment of the device for protecting eyes according to the
present invention;
[0016] FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the second preferred
embodiment of the device for protecting eyes according to the
present invention;
[0017] FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the third preferred embodiment
of the device for protecting eyes according to the present
invention;
[0018] FIG. 8 is a flowchart diagram of the preferred embodiment of
a method for protecting eyes according to the present invention;
and
[0019] FIG. 9 is a detailed flowchart diagram of step S801 of the
method for protecting eyes shown in FIG. 8.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0020] FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a functional block diagram and a
schematic view of the first preferred embodiment of a device for
protecting eyes according to the present invention respectively.
The device 1 for protecting eyes may be used in an optical
apparatus 2. The optical apparatus 2 may be an optical apparatus
capable of emitting a strong light beam such as a projector, a
laser pointer or a measuring apparatus; in this embodiment, the
optical apparatus 2 is illustrated as a projector.
[0021] The optical apparatus 2 includes a visible light source 21
and a scanning-mirror component 22. The visible light source 21 can
at least emit a visible light beam 3. The visible light source 21
is optically coupled to the scanning-minor component 22. In other
words, the scanning-mirror component 22 is located in an optical
path of the visible light beam 3 emitted from the visible light
source 21 so that the visible light beam 3 emitted from the visible
light source 21 can arrive at the scanning-minor component 22. The
visible light source 21 may be a visible laser source, while the
visible light beam 3 may be a collimated light beam such as a
visible laser beam.
[0022] FIG. 3 also illustrates a detailed schematic view of the
device for protecting eyes and the optical apparatus shown in FIG.
2. Because the optical apparatus 2 is a projector, the visible
light source 21 must be capable of sequentially or simultaneously
emitting visible light beams 3 with different colors to project a
color image. For this purpose, the visible light source 21 may
comprise a red visible light beam generator 211, a green visible
light beam generator 212 and a blue visible light beam generator
213. The red visible light beam generator 211, the green visible
light beam generator 212 and the blue visible light beam generator
213 may sequentially or simultaneously emit a red visible light
beam 3A, a green visible light beam 3B and a blue visible light
beam 3C.
[0023] It shall be appreciated that if the optical apparatus 2 is
not a color projector (such as a laser pointer), the visible light
source 21 may only need to emit a monochromatic visible light beam
3.
[0024] The scanning-mirror component 22 is a microelectromechanical
system (MEMS), and has an electrically driven or magnetically
driven reflector 221. The reflector 221 may be driven by an
electrostatic force, a magnetic force or a combination of the
electrostatic force and the magnetic force. The reflector 221 can
rotate or swing with respect to two intersecting axes (not shown).
When arriving at the reflector 221 of the scanning-mirror component
22, the visible light beam 3 is reflected to a scanning region 5 to
form a visible light spot 31 thereon. When the reflector 221
rotates with respect to the two intersecting axes, the visible
light spot 31 formed on the scanning region 5 will move along a
scanning trace 51 to form an image. The scanning region 5 is just
the distribution region of the scanning trace 51, so the scanning
region 5 will become larger when the scanning trace 51 becomes
longer.
[0025] It shall be appreciated that if the optical apparatus 2 is a
laser pointer, when arriving at the reflector 221 of the
scanning-mirror component 22, the visible light beam 3 is reflected
to a scanning region 5 to form a visible light spot 31 thereon, and
then the visible light source 21 is turned off. After the reflector
221 rotates with respect to the two intersecting axes to the
original position of the visible light spot 31, the visible light
source 21 is again turned on, so the visible light spot 31
projected by the laser pointer could be kept at the same position
to realize the function of indicating.
[0026] For further description of the scanning-mirror component 22,
the reflector 221, the scanning region 5 and the scanning trace 51
described above, reference may be made to at least the following
U.S. patent applications: US 2011/0164223, US 2005/0280331, U.S.
Pat. No. 6,359,718 and US 2009/0284622.
[0027] FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate another schematic view and a
further schematic view of the first preferred embodiment of the
device for protecting eyes according to the present invention,
respectively. The device 1 for protecting eyes can at least
determine whether an eye region 61 of a user 6 is located in the
scanning region 5 when the user 6 is between the optical apparatus
2 and the scanning region 5. If the eye region 61 is located in the
scanning region 5, then the device 1 for protecting eyes can make
the optical apparatus 2 stop emitting the visible light beam 3 to
the eye region 61 of the user 6 temporarily so that the eye region
61 of the user 6 will not be hurt due to the illumination of the
visible light beam 3.
[0028] The range of the eye region 61 is adjustable, and in this
embodiment, the eye region 61 at least covers the forehead to the
jaw of the user 6. If more protection effect is desired, the eye
region 61 may cover a larger range; if more projection effect is
desired, the eye region 61 may only cover the eyes of the user
6.
[0029] Hereinbelow, the device 1 for protecting eyes will be
further described.
[0030] The device 1 for protecting eyes may be built into the
optical apparatus 2. In other words, the device 1 for protecting
eyes may be used as a component of the optical apparatus 2 and
disposed in the housing of the optical apparatus 2 (such as a
penholder of the laser pointer or a casing of the projector). The
device 1 for protecting eyes comprises an eye identifying module 11
and a controlling module 12.
[0031] The eye identifying module 11 is used to determine at least
one eye region 61 in the scanning region 5. If there are a
plurality of eye regions 61 in the scanning region 5 (i.e., there
are a plurality of users 6 between the optical apparatus 2 and the
scanning region 5), the eye identifying module 11 can also
determine the positions of the eye regions 61 in the scanning
region 5 respectively.
[0032] The eye identifying module 11 may be electrically connected
to the scanning-mirror component 22 of the optical apparatus 2, and
may have an invisible light source 111, at least one invisible
light sensor 112 and a light-concentrating lens 113. The invisible
light source 111 can emit an invisible light beam 4 such as an
infrared (IR) laser light beam or an ultraviolet (UV) laser light
beam, so the invisible light source 111 may comprise an infrared
light generator or an ultraviolet light generator. The invisible
light source 111 can be optically coupled to the scanning-minor
component 22 of the optical apparatus 2, so the invisible light
beam 4 emitted from the invisible light source 111 can arrive at
the scanning-minor component 22.
[0033] When arriving at the scanning-mirror component 22, the
invisible light beam 4 will be reflected by the reflector 221 of
the scanning-minor component 22 so that the invisible light beam 4
is emitted to the scanning region 5 to form an invisible light spot
41 in the scanning region 5. When the reflector 221 of the
scanning-mirror component 22 rotates, the invisible light spot 41
formed on the scanning region 5 will move correspondingly.
[0034] In this embodiment, an optical path of the invisible light
beam 4 is parallel to and in close proximity to (or overlapping
with) that of the visible light beam 3, so a moving trace of the
invisible light spot 41 will be consistent with that of the visible
light spot 31. In other words, the invisible light spot 41 will
also move along the scanning trace 51.
[0035] If the visible light source 21 and the invisible light
source 111 simultaneously emit the visible light beam 3 and the
invisible light beam 4 respectively, the invisible light beam 4 and
the visible light beam 3 can be coupled by the scanning-mirror
component 22 to be emitted to the scanning region 5 simultaneously.
As a result, the visible light spot 31 and the invisible light spot
41 formed in the scanning region 5 can move along the scanning
track 51 simultaneously.
[0036] The invisible light sensor 112 can receive a reflective
invisible light 42 of the invisible light beam 4 in the scanning
region 5. In detail, when impinging on an object (e.g., a
projection screen, a wall or the user 6) located in the scanning
region 5, the invisible light beam 4 will be reflected by the
object to generate a reflective invisible light 42. Then, the
reflective invisible light 42 can be sensed by the invisible light
sensor 112 to output a sensing signal.
[0037] The light-concentrating lens 113 is disposed at a light
incident side of the invisible light sensor 112, and is used to
concentrate the reflective invisible light 42 so that light
intensity of the reflective invisible light 42 illuminated on the
invisible light sensor 112 can be enhanced. Thus, the invisible
light sensor 112 can sense the reflective invisible light 42 more
easily. It shall be appreciated that if the invisible light sensor
112 has a desirable sensing capability (i.e., the invisible light
sensor 112 can sense an invisible light with a weak light
intensity), then the use of the light-concentrating lens 113 can be
omitted.
[0038] The eye identifying module 11 can calculate the distance
between the eye identifying module 11 and a position of the
invisible light spot 41 of the invisible light beam 4 on the
scanning region 5 according to a duration from a time point when
the invisible light beam 4 is emitted from the invisible light
source 111 to a time point when the reflective invisible light 42
is received by the invisible light sensor 112; in other words, the
eye identifying module 11 may measure the distance at least through
the use of a time-of-flight method. Alternatively, the eye
identifying module 11 may also measure the distance through the use
of a phase-difference method or through a triangulation method.
[0039] The distance between the invisible light spot 41 and the eye
identifying module 11 can be derived in the aforesaid way. The
positional coordinates of the invisible light spot 41 in the
scanning region 5 can be derived according to the rotation angle of
the reflector 221 of the scanning-mirror component 22. After the
distances between all the invisible light spots 41 on the scanning
trace 51 and the eye identifying module 11 have been obtained, the
eye identifying module 11 can, on the basis of these distances and
the positional coordinates of the invisible light spots 41,
construct a three dimensional (3D) virtual model of the object in
the scanning region 5, and further determine whether the object is
the eye region 61 of the user 6 according to the 3D virtual
model.
[0040] If it is determined that the object is the eye region 61 of
the user 6, then the eye identifying module 11 outputs positional
coordinates of the eye region 61 in the scanning region 5.
[0041] The controlling module 12 is electrically connected to the
eye identifying module 11 and the optical apparatus 2. In detail,
the controlling module 12 is electrically connected to the eye
identifying module 11 to receive the positional coordinates of the
eye region 61 in the scanning region 5. After receiving the
positional coordinates, the controlling module 12 generates a
controlling signal (i.e., a first controlling signal) to the
optical apparatus 2 according to the positional coordinates so that
the optical apparatus 2 stops emitting the visible light beam 3 at
least within the eye region 61.
[0042] In other words, if the visible light spot 31 formed by the
visible light beam 3 in the scanning region 5 is about to enter or
has already entered the eye region 61, then the optical apparatus 2
makes the visible light source 21 stop emitting the visible light
beam 3 temporarily (as shown in FIG. 5). Thus, no visible light
beam 3 will be illuminated on the eye region 61 any longer to
guarantee that the eye region 61 of the user 6 will not be hurt. In
this case, no image is displayed in the eye region 61.
[0043] When a user moves the laser pointer and cause the visible
light spot 31 enter the eye region 61, the optical apparatus 2 also
stops emitting the visible light beam 3. Thus, the eye region 61
would not be emitted by the visible light beam 3 to prevent the eye
region 61 of the user 6 from being hurt.
[0044] When the visible light spot 31 is about to move or has
already moved outside the eye region 61, the controlling module 12
can generate another controlling signal (i.e., a second controlling
signal) to the optical apparatus 2 so that the optical apparatus 2
continues to emit the visible light beam 3 outside the eye region
61 (as shown in FIG. 4). Thus, an image displayed outside the eye
region 61 can be watched by the audience again.
[0045] Because the visible light source 21 is a laser source, the
optical apparatus 2 can turn the visible light source 21 on or off
immediately after receiving the first controlling signal or the
second controlling signal. Thus, that the visible light source 21
delays turning on or off will result in neither the illumination of
the visible light beam 3 on the eye region 61 of the user 6, nor
the incomplete display of an image outside the eye region 61.
[0046] It shall be appreciated that because the invisible light
beam 4 is harmless to the eyes, the eye identifying module 11 still
allows the invisible light source to continue to emit the invisible
light beam 4 instead of turning off the invisible light source when
the invisible light beam 4 enters the eye region 61. Furthermore,
by allowing the invisible light beam 4 to be emitted continuously,
the eye identifying module 11 can sense any change in the position
of the eye region 61 immediately and then update the position
coordinates of the eye region 61.
[0047] In other embodiments, if the eye identifying module 11
determines that the eye region 61 of the user 6 is in the scanning
region 5, then the controlling module 12 may output an OFF signal
(i.e., a third controlling signal) to the optical apparatus 2 so
that the optical apparatus 2 stops emitting the visible light beam
3 to the scanning region 5 no matter whether the visible light beam
3 is currently within the eye region 61 or not. In this way, the
user 6 in the scanning region 5 will not be illuminated by any
visible light beam 3 no matter how he or she moves.
[0048] The optical apparatus 2 stops emitting the visible light
beam 3 continuously until the eye region 61 disappears in the
scanning region 5. In other words, if the eye identifying module 11
determines that there is no eye region 61 in the scanning region 5,
then the controlling module 12 stops outputting the OFF signal so
that the optical apparatus 2 can emit the visible light beam 3 to
the scanning region 5 again to display an image.
[0049] FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic view of the second preferred
embodiment of the device for protecting eyes according to the
present invention. The device 1' for protecting eyes according to
the second preferred embodiment differs from that of the first
preferred embodiment in that the device 1' for protecting eyes is
not wholly built in the optical apparatus 2; instead, the eye
identifying module 11 and the controlling module 12 thereof are
disposed outside the optical apparatus 2 but are still electrically
connected to the optical apparatus 2. Furthermore, the controlling
module 12 of the device 1' for protecting eyes may be a personal
computer (PC).
[0050] FIG. 7 illustrates a schematic view of the third preferred
embodiment of a device for protecting eyes according to the present
invention. The device 1'' for protecting eyes according to the
third preferred embodiment differs from the device 1 and the device
1' described in the aforesaid preferred embodiments in that the eye
identifying module 11 of the device 1'' for protecting eyes
comprises a plurality of invisible light sensors 112 located at
different locations respectively. By way of example, one of the
invisible light sensors 112 is built in the optical apparatus 2,
and another one is disposed above the optical apparatus 2.
[0051] The invisible light sensors 112 are used for, from different
locations respectively, receiving the reflective invisible light 42
of the invisible light beam 4 in the scanning region 5. Thus, even
if the reflective invisible light 42 of the invisible light beam 4
at a certain position of the scanning region 5 can not be sensed by
the invisible light sensor 112 disposed in the optical apparatus 2
because of the invisible light sensor 112 being sheltered by
something or not located in the optical path of the reflective
invisible light 42, the other invisible light sensors 112 at other
positions can still sense the reflective invisible light 42 to
derive a distance between this position and the eye identifying
module 11.
[0052] What is described above relates to the embodiments of the
device for protecting eyes according to the present invention.
Hereinbelow, a method for protecting the eyes of the present
invention will be described in detail. The method for protecting
eyes may be implemented by at least the aforesaid devices 1, 1' and
1''.
[0053] With reference to FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 5, and 8, FIG. 8 is a
flowchart diagram of the preferred embodiment of a method for
protecting eyes according to the present invention.
[0054] The method for protecting eyes may be used in the optical
apparatus 2. The optical apparatus 2 includes the visible light
source 21 and the scanning-minor component 22. The visible light
source 21 can emit the visible light beam 3 to the scanning-mirror
component 22. The scanning-mirror component 22 then reflects the
visible light beam 3 to emit the visible light beam 3 to the
scanning region 5. The optical apparatus 2 has already been
described in detail in the aforesaid embodiments, and thus, will be
omitted from description herein.
[0055] The method for protecting eyes may be executed after the
optical apparatus 2 has been activated. First, step S801 is
executed to determine whether there is at least one eye region 61
in the scanning region 5. If the determination result in the step
S801 is "no", this means that no eye region 61 is located in the
scanning region 5 (as shown in FIG. 2), and then the step S801 is
executed continuously.
[0056] If the determination result in the step S801 is "yes", then
step S803 is executed to determine whether the visible light beam 3
emitted from the optical apparatus 2 has been emitted or is about
to be emitted to the eye region 61. If the determination result in
the step S803 is "yes", this means that the visible light beam 3 is
possibly illuminated in the eye region 61 of the user 6 (as shown
in FIG. 5), and then step S805 is executed to generate a
controlling signal (i.e., a first controlling signal) to the
optical apparatus, 2 so that the optical apparatus 2 stops emitting
the visible light beam 3 at least within the eye region 61.
[0057] If the determination result in the step S803 is "no", this
means that the visible light beam 3 is still being emitted outside
the eye region 61 and will not hurt the eyes of the user 6 (as
shown in FIG. 4); and then step S807 is executed to generate
another controlling signal (i.e., a second controlling signal) to
the optical apparatus 2 so that the optical apparatus 2 continues
to emit the visible light beam 3 outside the eye region 61.
[0058] Subsequent to step S805 or step S807, step S801 will be
executed anew to determine whether the eye region 61 is still in
the scanning region 5.
[0059] It shall be appreciated that in other embodiments, if the
determination result in the step S801 is "yes," the method for
protecting eyes may proceed to the step S805 directly without
executing steps S803 and S807. In this way, regardless of whether
the visible light beam 3 is emitted to the eye region 61 or not,
the method for protecting eyes will make the optical apparatus 2
stop emitting the visible light beam 3 until the eye region 61
disappears in the scanning region 5 (i.e., until the determination
result in the step S801 is "no").
[0060] With reference to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 5 and 9 together, FIG. 9 is
a detailed flowchart diagram of step S801 of the method for
protecting eyes as shown in FIG. 8. The method for protecting eyes
may execute the following steps when determining whether there is
an eye region 61 in the scanning region 5 (i.e., the step
S801).
[0061] First, an invisible light beam 4 is emitted to the scanning
region 5 (step S901). The step S901 may be accomplished by use of
the invisible light source 111 and the scanning-mirror component 22
of the optical apparatus 2. The invisible light beam 4 and the
visible light beam 3 may be simultaneously emitted to the scanning
region 5 so that the visible light spot 31 and the invisible light
spot 41 formed in the scanning region 5 can move
simultaneously.
[0062] Next, reflective invisible light 42 of the invisible light
beam 4 in the scanning region 5 is received (step S903, as shown in
FIG. 2); or reflective invisible light 42 of the invisible light
beam 4 in the scanning region 5 is received from different
locations respectively (step S905, as shown in FIG. 7). Both steps
can be accomplished by use of the invisible light sensor 12.
[0063] After step S903 or step S905, the method for protecting eyes
determines at least one eye region 61 in the scanning region 5
according to one or more reflective invisible lights 42 (step
S907). Then, the invisible light beam 4 is emitted continuously
when the invisible light beam 4 moves into the eye region 61 (step
S909). In other words, the invisible light beam 4 will continue to
emit wherever it is illuminated in the scanning region 5.
[0064] According to the above descriptions, the device and method
for protecting eyes in the present invention have at least the
following characteristics:
[0065] 1. The device and method for protecting eyes can prevent the
visible light beam that is emitted by the optical apparatus from
illuminating or make it difficult for the visible light beam to
illuminate the eye region of the user so that eyes of the user will
not be hurt;
[0066] 2. The device and method for protecting eyes can make the
optical apparatus stop emitting the visible light beam only within
the eye region in the scanning region so that regions outside the
eye region can still be illuminated by the visible light beam;
[0067] 3. The device and method for protecting eyes can use the
scanning-mirror component of the optical apparatus to emit the
invisible light beam so that both the device and the method can be
implemented easily; and
[0068] 4. Because the invisible light beam is harmless to the eyes,
it can be emitted to the scanning region continuously so that the
device and the method for protecting eyes can monitor the changes
of the profiles of objects located in the scanning region at all
times.
[0069] The above disclosure is related to the detailed technical
contents and inventive features thereof. People skilled in this
field may proceed with a variety of modifications and replacements
based on the disclosures and suggestions of the invention as
described without departing from the characteristics thereof.
Nevertheless, although such modifications and replacements are not
fully disclosed in the above descriptions, they have substantially
been covered in the following claims as appended.
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